Skype coaching session, 07 June 2015. 

The following game was examined, the game 38 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

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Annotated game. 

White: N. Zdebskaja, 2172. 
Black: S. Karjakin, 2230. 
Event: Ukrainian Team Championship 2000. 
Result: 1-0 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Alekhine Defence, Exchange Variation, B03. 

1. e4 Nf6 
2. e5 

| White can avoid the main line with, 2. Nc3, or, 2. d3. Such options do not commit white to creating a central pawn formation. It is a question of how you wish to start the middlegame. Some like to take space if available, others are happy to just take the advantage of moving first. || 

2. ... Nd5 

| The retreat, 2. ... Ng8, is known. To employ this strange idea of offering 2 tempi in order to play against the white commitment requires experience and considerable nerve. Risky and needs careful study before including in your bag of opening tricks. || 

3. d4 

| Some white players choose a further chase with, 3. c4 Nb6 4. c5 Nd5, Homework needed if you wish to try this. || 

3. ... d6 

| The white centre must be challenged as soon as possible. || 

4. c4 Nb6 
5. exd6 

| The Exchange Variation. Instead, 5. f4, attempts to keep central control for longer. White should not permit, 5. Nf3 Bg4, and black will trade, Bxf3, to reduce the protection of the white central pawns on dark squares. || 

5. ... cxd6 

| A crossroad, aiming for a pawn structure imbalance. Instead, 5. ... exd6, with the plan of, Be7, O-O, Re8, Bf6, is more solid for black. White over the next 4 moves produces a calm and simple plan to strengthen the position, take some time to work it out now. || 

6. Nc3 g6 
7. Be3 Bg7 
8. Rc1 

These moves seem obvious and perhaps they are. However, they form part of a plan, and it is the next move for white which reveals the thinking. || 

8. ... O-O 
9. b3 

| The strategy is easy once the plan is shown. White wishes to maintain extra protection to the c4 pawn. An earlier, pawn b3, would leave the c3 knight unprotected. So, the bishop on e3 strengthens the d4 pawn and the rook moves to c1 to protect the c3 knight. This simple 4-move plan leaves the queenside secure. Now white will complete kingside development and let the middlegame begin. Note how white still refuses to develop, Nf3, when black can reply with the pin, Bg4. || 

9. ... Nc6 

| Black could also try some central / kingside activity. If, 9. ... e5 10. dxe5 dxe5, leaves imbalance. Less committal is, 9. ... Bf5, and finally, 9. ... f5, might be suitable to those with aggressive tendencies. || 

10. d5 

| A fingerprint of the Alekhine Defence emerges again, white can claim central space with a pawn formation, black will dance around with knights to find locations not denied by the white pawns. Such strategies allow for imagination and creativity once the middlegame develops, just what players seeking a full point from the start desire. || 

10. ... Ne5 
11. Be2 Re8 

| Again, those with aggressive tendencies might try, 11. ... f5. This rook is now going to be a passive defender of the black e7 pawn while play carries on elsewhere. || 

12. f4 Ned7 

| It is move 12 and black has made 6 of them with knights. Even so, this is not a problem as whenever white pushes forward with a pawn it leaves squares unguarded elsewhere. A long-term danger for black is to allow white to develop the heavy pieces behind the pawns and when the moment is right, a further pawn push will start to open up the position with black not having sufficient defensive coordination. Oh yes, and white has made 8 pawn moves, it will be some while before white can be ready for a dynamic break. || 

13. Nf3 a5 

| My limited database access revealed this as a new move. Players of the King's Indian Defence will understand immediately what black is planning. Undermining the white queenside pawns is not on the agenda. Black wishes to plant a knight on the c5 square without fear of having it pushed away later with, pawn b4. Instead, 13. ... Nf6, might give better chances for activity. || 

14. O-O Nc5 
15. Bd4 

| To remove a potentially dangerous attacker and perhaps a useful black defender for when the middlegame really gets going. || 

15. ... Bg4 

| This bishop will feel honour-bound to remove the white f3 knight, but as white no longer has any central dark square targets the removal of the f3 knight is now of no real importance. || 

16. h3 Bxf3 
17. Bxf3 

| The white light square bishop appears to have little activity. Appearances can be deceptive, this piece has much work to do, but inspiration will be soon be demanded of white to let it play an important part in this game. || 

17. ... Bxd4+ 
18. Qxd4 Nbd7 

| The equine trotting around continues. It is part of a plan by black to remove more material and hope to have sufficient a grip on the position such that white can find no dynamic breaks. White now demonstrates understanding of a principle discussed in a previous coaching session, the game between So and Giri, the English Opening Adorjan Defence. Namely, when a piece has satisfactorily performed the task on a square, it is free to take a different role on a different square. || 

19. Rce1 Qb6 

| Black wishes to trade queens. White has found a neat idea which allows this and still manage to keep a strong grip on the position. Take some time to find white's plan. || 

20. Nb5 

| This knight is going to be a real nuisance for black. Quite ironic, black has now played 8 knight moves while white has played only 3 knight moves, but the remaining white knight is going to be more effective than the combined attempts of the black knights. || 

20. ... Na6 
21. Qxb6 Nxb6 

| The position seems to have simplified with black containing the white forces. White is about to show this to be an illusion. Take as much time as you wish to find the critical move, miss this and black might be let off the hook. || 

22. c5 

| A square which was doubly protected and yet the pawn can advance without any support. If you missed this, try to work out how the tactics are in white's favour. || 

22. ... Nc8 

| If, 22. ... Nxc5, a deflection, 23. Nc7, forks an exchange. Instead, 22. ... dxc5 23. d6, releases the white f3 bishop to attack the b7 pawn so that, 23. ... exd6 24. Bxb7, either wins the a6 knight or the a8 rook if it remains where it is. Also after, 22. ... dxc5 23. d6, white is threatening, dxe7, establishing a strong 7th rank passed pawn. The game move, a sad knight retreat to c8 is needed to defend the doubly attacked d6 pawn, but in doing so interferes with whatever plans black might have had for the a8 rook. || 

23. c6 

| White is about to get a strong grip on the queenside, again the tactics are favourable for white. || 

23. ... Rb8 

| If, 23. ... bxc6 24. dxc6, the white bishop on f3 will have been released. White can transfer both rooks to support the queenside, black will have to sit and wait while white increases the pressure. || 

24. c7 

| This pawn will either be a restricting influence on the black position or be exposed as being over-extended. || 

24. ... Ra8 

| The queenside play for white has ground to a halt. So, time for some activity elsewhere. Take time here, white has yet another good option to find, miss it and the initiative will slip away. || 

25. f5 

| Instead, 25. Bg4, would be too hasty as, 25. ... f5, blocks out the bishop. So white makes it difficult for black to close up the kingside. || 

25. ... f6 

| A horrible move to have to play, but yet again the tactics are in white's favour. If, 25. ... gxf5 26. Bh5, threatens to capture, Rxf5, and put pressure on the f7 pawn. Black has problems up the e-file, trying to protect such an f5 pawn with, 26. ... e6, allows, 27. Rxf5, the e6 pawn is pinned, and so the black f7 pawn again becomes fragile. Time for white to be accurate now. || 

26. Bg4 

| White wishes to put pressure on the c8 square. It would be too hasty to try, 26. fxg6 hxg6 27. Bg4 f5, and the kingside is closing up again against the white bishop. || 

26. ... Nb6 

| To guard both the c8 square and the d7 square from a white bishop invasion. || 

27. fxg6 hxg6 

| White has a big advantage but how can it be converted? Take time here, there is an important move to find. || 

28. c8=Q 

| What? White takes all that effort to get the pawn to c7 and now it is being thrown away? Yes, but as the saying for this game goes, the tactics are in white's favour. Such surprise moves can easily be overlooked in favour of moves trying to maintain or increase the positional pressure. Now black must choose from 3 captures, yes, 3 captures are available and so all 3 must be examined. || 

28. ... Rexc8 

| Black declines the obvious, 28. ... Nxc8 29. Bd7, deflecting the defending e8 rook so that, 29. ... Rd8 30. Bxc8 Raxc8 31. Rxe7, and white has established a 7th rank rook, the black b7 and f6 pawns are attacked, and the black king is cut off. Instead the rook capture, 28. ... Raxc8, keeping the d7 square guarded, allows white a surprising, 29. Nxd6 exd6 30. Bxc8 Rxc8 31. Rxf6, when again black has too many weak pawns. Lastly, 28. ... Raxc8 29. Nxd6 exd6 30. Bxc8 Rxe1 31. Rxe1 Nxc8 32. Re8+, white wins the c8 knight and will be an exchange ahead. || 

29. Rxe7 

| White has traded one advantage for another. The c7 pawn has been offered to gain a 7th rank rook, and in the process the black kingside / centre pawn formation is weakened. New targets have been created. || 

29. ... f5 
30. Bf3 Rd8 

| Black has been defending all game and is unlikely to reverse matters now. This is what book writers often sum up with a comment: "The rest is just a matter of technique". Well, it is time for white to show technique, important move to find for white here. || 

31. Re6 

| Increasing the pressure rather than grabbing the first pawn available. White anticipates the black b7 pawn will always be there for the taking later, so instead sets about creating a central passed pawn. || 

31. ... Kg7 

| If the g6 pawn is allowed to go it is likely the f5 pawn will also quickly follow. || 

32. Nxd6 Nc8 

| White was threatening, 33. Nxf5+ gxf5 34. Rxb6. This will not be the only time the white 6th rank will prove a problem for a black knight. || 

33. Nxb7 Rd7 

| Black is now lost, the passed white d-pawn is ready to roll through with assistance from the minor pieces. || 

34. d6 

| At long last the white light square bishop can join in. || 

34. ... Ra7 

| Doubly attacking the white b7 knight, but it seems black can not capture 2 white minor pieces for a rook and survive. It is all due to the advanced passed d-pawn. Black tries a few last tricks, but nothing is going to happen by force. || 

35. Bc6 

| White Takes control of the d7 square. The threat against the white b7 knight is a bluff. If, 35. ... Raxb7 36. Bxb7 Rxb7 37. d7, attacking the black c8 knight and discovering an attack from the white rook to the black a6 knight, so that after 37. ... Rxd7 38. Rxa6, black would be losing an exchange. || 

35. ... Nb8 
36. Bxd7 Nxd7 

| One more punch and black will fall apart. Who in the white camp is not working yet? || 

37. Rc1 Nxd6 

| Black is hoping white will miss something. Such desperation should not be allowed to succeed. || 

38. Rc7 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| White will emerge an exchange up no matter what. If now, 38. Rxb7 39. Rxb7 Nxb7 40. Re7+ Kf6 41. Rxd7. Instead, 38. ... Nxb7 39. Re7+ Kf6 40. Rexd7, winning the pinned black b7 knight and white is a rook ahead. A less efficient choice for white was, 38. Rxd6 Rxb7, black still has a rook to be a possible nuisance. || 

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## Unannotated game. 

White: N. Zdebskaja, 2172. 
Black: S. Karjakin, 2230. 
Event: Ukrainian Team Championship 2000. 
Result: 1-0 in 38 moves. 
Opening: Alekhine Defence, Exchange Variation, B03. 

1. e4 Nf6 
2. e5 Nd5 
3. d4 d6 
4. c4 Nb6 
5. exd6 cxd6 
6. Nc3 g6 
7. Be3 Bg7 
8. Rc1 O-O 
9. b3 Nc6 
10. d5 Ne5 
11. Be2 Re8 
12. f4 Ned7 
13. Nf3 a5 
14. O-O Nc5 
15. Bd4 Bg4 
16. h3 Bxf3 
17. Bxf3 Bxd4+ 

18. Qxd4 Nbd7 
19. Rce1 Qb6 
20. Nb5 Na6 
21. Qxb6 Nxb6 
22. c5 Nc8 
23. c6 Rb8 
24. c7 Ra8 
25. f5 f6 
26. Bg4 Nb6 
27. fxg6 hxg6 
28. c8=Q Rexc8 
29. Rxe7 f5 
30. Bf3 Rd8 
31. Re6 Kg7 
32. Nxd6 Nc8 
33. Nxb7 Rd7 
34. d6 Ra7 
35. Bc6 Nb8 
36. Bxd7 Nxd7 
37. Rc1 Nxd6 
38. Rc7 
Black resigns, 1-0 

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